Mature Student Interviews and Post-Interviews

mariss

Hi!
I have my Trinity interview this afternoon, for Science (Zoology). I'm rather well prepared, except for one thing: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? I worked as an architect, so my business/interview attire was mostly jeans, flat shoes/All Stars sneakers, and t-shirt with a cardigan or a blazer. Everything else I have is too formal (black dresses and skirts). I never needed something in between. What do you think: business casual with jeans, or little black dress? Damn, why haven't I thought of this before?
And no, I don't own a pair of trousers that aren't jeans, I dislike "smart" pants.

Drezden

mariss wrote: »

Hi!
I have my Trinity interview this afternoon, for Science (Zoology). I'm rather well prepared, except for one thing: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

I don't think it matters to be honest, once your not scruffy looking you'll be fine. I went to my interview in DCU in casual clothes, t-shirt, jumper and jeans and my interview was great. A week after the interview I got my place.

You'll be evaluated on the content of the interview not on the clothes you're wearing. But in saying that I'd say wear you feel most comfortable in whether that's formal or informal.

You mentioned that you're well prepared for the interview, that's the most important thing!:D

Best of luck with your interview.
Let us know how you get on.

smileyj1987

mariss wrote: »

Hi!
I have my Trinity interview this afternoon, for Science (Zoology). I'm rather well prepared, except for one thing: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? I worked as an architect, so my business/interview attire was mostly jeans, flat shoes/All Stars sneakers, and t-shirt with a cardigan or a blazer. Everything else I have is too formal (black dresses and skirts). I never needed something in between. What do you think: business casual with jeans, or little black dress? Damn, why haven't I thought of this before?
And no, I don't own a pair of trousers that aren't jeans, I dislike "smart" pants.

I did three mature interviews and put on a shirt and trousers just to make it look like I was bothered . I have saw a few people wear jeans and a shirt . I would say make yourself look presentable as in you don't look like you have rolled out of bed and you should be fine .

Moomat

mariss wrote: »

Hi!
I have my Trinity interview this afternoon, for Science (Zoology). I'm rather well prepared, except for one thing: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? I worked as an architect, so my business/interview attire was mostly jeans, flat shoes/All Stars sneakers, and t-shirt with a cardigan or a blazer. Everything else I have is too formal (black dresses and skirts). I never needed something in between. What do you think: business casual with jeans, or little black dress? Damn, why haven't I thought of this before?
And no, I don't own a pair of trousers that aren't jeans, I dislike "smart" pants.

Like it or not, some people will form some of their judgement about you by appearance. I would recommend something smart and nuetral. Certainly not runners and jeans. Nothing wrong with them, I wear them everyday myself but you need to find every possible chance in these interviews to increase your potential. If 2 candidates were equal except one looked like they had put less effort into their attire then I imagine which would be successful. They haven't called you to drop in for a chat and a cup of tea.

It's an interview so put your best foot forward.

Best of luck with it!

allybabe84

mariss wrote: »

Hi!
I have my Trinity interview this afternoon, for Science (Zoology). I'm rather well prepared, except for one thing: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

I wore jeans, flat comfortable shoes and a smart top to my interview, although my jeans were nice fancy ones! Getting worried though because my Trinity interview was exactly 3 weeks ago today and I haven't heard back yet Anyway good luck and hope you get in!

mariss

Thank you all
I'm, as you all said, dressed comfortably, and on my way to dazzle them

smileyj1987

allybabe84 wrote: »

I wore jeans, flat comfortable shoes and a smart top to my interview, although my jeans were nice fancy ones! Getting worried though because my Trinity interview was exactly 3 weeks ago today and I haven't heard back yet Anyway good luck and hope you get in!

I wouldn't be too worried at all . Different colleges operate in different ways . I mean I did an assessment for Blanchardstown IT and they told me I wouldn't find out anything until CAO offers for mature applicants are offered out .

Ross1986

Still hadn't heard anything from UL so rang them there as we were meant to find out by "early this week". Turns out we'll find out "in a few days". Third time there's been a delay on it so it's getting very frustrating at this stage.

bloodstormaoa

Does anyone have any experience with phone interviews?

I wasn't able to attend in-person and so have been offered a phone interview on the 28th. Do you approach them any differently? It may sound like a silly question, but there's a lot to be said for body language in portraying yourself well. I'm quite nervous about this.

Ross1986 wrote: »

Still hadn't heard anything from UL so rang them there as we were meant to find out by "early this week". Turns out we'll find out "in a few days". Third time there's been a delay on it so it's getting very frustrating at this stage.

UL have stated very clearly to me that all decisions will be given by the 30th of May at the latest. So only a few days left at the most!

Ross1986

bloodstormaoa wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with phone interviews?

I wasn't able to attend in-person and so have been offered a phone interview on the 28th. Do you approach them any differently? It may sound like a silly question, but there's a lot to be said for body language in portraying yourself well. I'm quite nervous about this.




UL have stated very clearly to me that all decisions will be given by the 30th of May at the latest. So only a few days left at the most!

What course are you going for in UL?

Have you ever done a phone interview for a job before? As you said body language does count for a lot but to compensate for this I'd make sure that you have your answer fully prepared as you will need to get your point across a lot clearer than you would in person. Best of luck with it!

char101

Has anyone applied for the BSW course in UCC?

char101

Has anyone applied for the BSW course in UCC?

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

Has anyone applied for the BSW course in UCC?

Ya, I did. Did you have your interview?

char101

MiloYossarian wrote: »

Ya, I did. Did you have your interview?

Yep I had my interview on the 12/5. The waiting is killing me ....how did your interview go?

char101

MiloYossarian wrote: »

Ya, I did. Did you have your interview?

Yep I had my interview on the 12/5. The waiting is killing me ....how did your interview go?

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

Yep I had my interview on the 12/5. The waiting is killing me ....how did your interview go?

Oh cool, we didn't meet so, mine was the following day. I wasn't bothered about the waiting up until today when I realised it could be another month before I find out.
As for the interview, I'm not sure, I did my best anyway. The interviewers kept cutting me off when I was answering the questions saying, 'oh, we don't have much time.' Well excuse me for being well prepared. They spent a lot of time at the beginning telling me how it's not for everybody and how not everybody makes it in. That has me worried. I'm apprehensive to be honest. I did my absolute best though, so I don't regret anything. How did yours go? Did they say similar things to you?

The group I was with on the day were great. I really enjoyed it. We spent ages chatting. I really enjoyed it. What were the people like when you were there?

char101

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I felt my interview went ok. I came out thinking I should of said this etc but what will be will be! I was asked questions about how my life experience would benefit the course,my class mates and to become a social worker. I was asked about what I thought were the social issues in Ireland today, what is discrimination and social exclusion and to give an example of each. I was also asked how I felt about doing placement outside of Cork, basically they wanted to know how flexible I am. One of the interviewers(the course coordinator for yr 1) asked me how I felt in relation to learning studying social policy from an academic aspect. The other interviewer was a probation and welfare officer, I felt she asked the toughest questions and I felt she was watching my non verbal behaviour/ body language. I was in the interview for 25 mins ish.
I am just hoping I get it, I feel 50/50 about it, I just want the wait to be over.

My group were lovely. Everyone chatted and seemed to get on which is nice. How many were in your group?

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I felt my interview went ok. I came out thinking I should of said this etc but what will be will be! I was asked questions about how my life experience would benefit the course,my class mates and to become a social worker. I was asked about what I thought were the social issues in Ireland today, what is discrimination and social exclusion and to give an example of each. I was also asked how I felt about doing placement outside of Cork, basically they wanted to know how flexible I am. One of the interviewers(the course coordinator for yr 1) asked me how I felt in relation to learning studying social policy from an academic aspect. The other interviewer was a probation and welfare officer, I felt she asked the toughest questions and I felt she was watching my non verbal behaviour/ body language. I was in the interview for 25 mins ish.
I am just hoping I get it, I feel 50/50 about it, I just want the wait to be over.

My group were lovely. Everyone chatted and seemed to get on which is nice. How many were in your group?

Not at all, I'm delighted to find somebody in the same boat as me. It's good to chat. I'm not sure how many interviewed with me, but it was less than on your day. It was supposed to be fifty altogether, but I think only forty six people showed up. So basically, one in two people should get in. I just hope I did enough.
Hopefully we'll be chatting face to face come September. Cripes, I'm growing worried. How are you passing the time?

char101

I am looking around for some summer courses. I done a course in psychology and social studies and I am waiting for those results too and they are due to come out the same week as the Ucc offers in June so it's all a waiting game at the moment.
I am worried myself and I hope I have done enough too,I really want this!!

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

I am looking around for some summer courses. I done a course in psychology and social studies and I am waiting for those results too and they are due to come out the same week as the Ucc offers in June so it's all a waiting game at the moment.
I am worried myself and I hope I have done enough too,I really want this!!

Summer courses, that's much better than my solution, which is drinking. We have a good chance. It's one in two, fifty people for twenty five places. Then they take in to account other things you have done, courses voluntary work, so if you have those done it shortens the odds. If you did well in the interview it shortens the odds again, and the Msap, is the same.

I just hope my how much I want to be a social worker came across in the interview. A lot of the people in my group didn't care much about being a social worker, they just wanted to go to college. There was one guy in particular...he was a real príck. Told us all he didn't give a fúck about being a social worker, and this is a direct quote, 'if it came down to it, I'd slit all your throats to get in to college.' He doesn't care what he does. (Sorry about the language.) It would be galling if somebody like him got in over somebody that genuinely cares about children. The thing is, he was neighbors with one of the guys interviewing. The interviewer thought him how to play guitar, so, and I might be being cynical, but some cronyism might come in to play.

I know the above paragraph is a bit negative towards other people, but what I really meant is that if how much you want to be a social worker came across in the interview then surely you will have come across better than the people who don't really care.....

char101

I am hoping it will come across that being a social worker is what I want to do. Was there a fair ratio of men to women in your group, 19 turned up for our interview 3 were men.
It would be great to get it I love the idea of going on placement Have you applied for other courses?

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

I am hoping it will come across that being a social worker is what I want to do. Was there a fair ratio of men to women in your group, 19 turned up for our interview 3 were men.
It would be great to get it I love the idea of going on placement Have you applied for other courses?

Cool cool, 19? I'm pretty sure that there were only sixteen on our day, that's forty five altogether, sooo the odds are pretty good. Ya, there were five of us boys, definitely the minority. Hoping that will go in my favour. Like, that because they want more boys on the coarse, and in social work, that I might have an advantage. Apparently a lot of colleges are doing that for most subjects anyway, because girls are out preforming guys across the board. It's not really fair, but I'm clutching at straws here.

Ya, I applied for two other courses originally and then panicked during the change of mind and added another. They're all in the same area though. I applied of Social Science, Social work and Criminology at UCC, and social care at CIT. The hope is, if I don't get one of the social work coarse and I get the social care one, I can do a masters in social work after I complete it. How many are you going for? Did anybody stand out on the day? Like, did you chat with anybody and think, 'oh, they've got a good chance'?

char101

I applied for social science also and arts, I do not know why I didn't apply for social care in cit. it's only now I realise I should of!!

When we were broken up into 3 in a group and had to discuss that case study etc there was a lady in the group that was fantastic I thought immediately yep you're in! There were 2 other people I had spoke with on the day that said social work wasn't really what they wanted. I was slightly shocked as we are all mature students and I thought anyone applying for the course would definitely want it. Oh we'll, as you said earlier the fact that we genuinely want it might have come through on the day

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

I applied for social science also and arts, I do not know why I didn't apply for social care in cit. it's only now I realise I should of!!

When we were broken up into 3 in a group and had to discuss that case study etc there was a lady in the group that was fantastic I thought immediately yep you're in! There were 2 other people I had spoke with on the day that said social work wasn't really what they wanted. I was slightly shocked as we are all mature students and I thought anyone applying for the course would definitely want it. Oh we'll, as you said earlier the fact that we genuinely want it might have come through on the day

You still can apply for it, as far as I know the change of mind window is still open.
The more we chat I can see the odds getting better and better, unless your group was a super group. The majority of mine didn't really seem to want it. I'm just hoping for the best, I'd hate to have to wait another year. One is not getting any younger.

char101

Haha, I am 28 and I genuinely thought that many would be similar in age, well I was wrong. There were a lot of mid 30's and 40's floating about so I felt good thinking if I don't get it this yr I would feel ' too old' trying for it again next year

Ross1986

So i heard back from UL and im a bit unsure about what it actually means. They said ive been deemed eligible for the programme and that my name has now been added to the waiting list. Offers are then made to the names on the list in order of merit during round A of the cao offers in july.

So not sure if i actually have a place or not haha.

MiloYossarian

char101 wrote: »

Haha, I am 28 and I genuinely thought that many would be similar in age, well I was wrong. There were a lot of mid 30's and 40's floating about so I felt good thinking if I don't get it this yr I would feel ' too old' trying for it again next year

Ewwwe, oldies creep me out, I don't want my classmates to have the spectre of death hanging over them in the class room. Just joking, obvs. I'm technically an oldie myself, I'm thirty. It isn't so bad this year, but it I don't get in, then you're looking at another year, and another year older when I finish. Twenty eight is a good age to get in to it. If you get it, you'll be finished by thirty two, if you don't, well, you've still got plenty of time.
It's a job, where, I feel anyway, that a bit of maturity can help.

smileyj1987

Ross1986 wrote: »

So i heard back from UL and im a bit unsure about what it actually means. They said ive been deemed eligible for the programme and that my name has now been added to the waiting list. Offers are then made to the names on the list in order of merit during round A of the cao offers in july.

So not sure if i actually have a place or not haha.

Well I would take it as good news if they got in touch . I don't take they would if they weren't considering you . I hope you get your place . Along with everyone in this thread .

char101

Haha. Yeah I really think maturity is needed for this course. If I don't get this course I will be going back to cork college of commerce to do psychosocial awareness....the course includes mental health, disability, social inclusion etc so I am hoping that will better my chances again when applying but I will also apply for social care in CIT too. The thoughts of going to UCC are daunting but exciting at the same time! I suppose what is meant to be won't pass you (I am trying to stay as positive as possible)

char101

MiloYossarian wrote: »

Ewwwe, oldies creep me out, I don't want my classmates to have the spectre of death hanging over them in the class room. Just joking, obvs. I'm technically an oldie myself, I'm thirty. It isn't so bad this year, but it I don't get in, then you're looking at another year, and another year older when I finish. Twenty eight is a good age to get in to it. If you get it, you'll be finished by thirty two, if you don't, well, you've still got plenty of time.
It's a job, where, I feel anyway, that a bit of maturity can help.

Sorry I forgot to quote when replying to your msg